Blinken tells Abbas Washington supports ‘tangible steps’ toward a Palestinian state

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that the White House supports “tangible steps” towards the creation of a Palestinian state, says State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Blinken reiterates Washington’s longstanding position that a Palestinian state must stand alongside Israel, “with both living in peace and security.”

Blinken notes “increased volatility” in the West Bank, where there has been a wave of terror attacks on Israelis and increased IDF operations to crack down on Hamas and other groups. There has also been a surge in violence against Palestinians by settlers.

He also “underscored the United States’ position that all Palestinian tax revenues collected by Israel should be consistently conveyed to the Palestinian Authority in accordance with prior agreements,” Miller says.